1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to couplings, such as a coupling employed in a propeller shaft and the like for motor vehicles, and more particularly to the couplings of a type that can effectively absorb an axial vibration under operation thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, various couplings for coupling two shafts have been proposed and put into practical use. One of them is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model First Provisional Publication 60-189620 (the xe2x80x9c""620 publicationxe2x80x9d), which employs a plurality of generally annular metal plates intimately put on one another to constitute a vibration absorbing unit. However, some known couplings, including the coupling of the ""620 publication, have failed to exhibit satisfactory vibration absorbing performance due to their inherent constructions. In fact, the coupling of the ""620 publication, the united annular metal plates tend to cause undesirable relative displacement between mutually contacting portions thereof, particularly when a predetermined force is applied thereto when assembling the coupling.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coupling for coupling two shafts, which is free of the above-mentioned shortcoming of the known couplings.
According to the present invention, there is provided a coupling for coupling two shafts, which can exhibit satisfactory vibration absorbing performance irrespective of its simple construction.
According to the present invention, there is provided a coupling for coupling first and second shafts, which comprises an annular unit including a plurality of annular metal plates which are put on one another; a first group of bolt bores formed through the annular unit; a second group of bolt bores formed through the annular unit; a first group of bolts and nuts which are incorporated with the first group of bolt bores to fix the annular metal plates; a second group of bolts and nuts which are incorporated with the second group of bolt bores to fix the annular metal plates; a first yoke which connects the first shaft to the first group of bolts and nuts; a second yoke which connects the second shaft to the second group of bolts and nuts; and a stopper structure by which mutually contacting portions of the annular metal plates are suppressed from making a relative displacement therebetween.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.